Aggregated enterprise architecture wisdom
There are likely to be times when a business will engage in some activity or make a product acquisition which, in hindsight, would prove to be less than beneficial. Perhaps in the enthusiasm generated through a vendor’s sales process the … Continue reading →
If you have ever had a debate about whether your organisation should use cloud computing then a discussion of the risks of cloud computing will have been a significant part of it. In doing so, we often fall into a simple logical trap. Cloud computing is just one of the options that we have. The […]
@dougnewdick points out the risk of a company becoming over-dependent on Google. His particular example is prompted by Google’s announcement that Google Reader will be discontinued.I have previously commented on the subject of Creeping Business Depende…
The chance that your car might be washed away is not the only reason to avoid driving across a flooded road.
The greater danger is that the road under the flood waters has already been washed away.
How many large system projects fail because of unexpe…
The chance that your car might be washed away is not the only reason to avoid driving across a flooded road.
The greater danger is that the road under the flood waters has already been washed away.
How many large system projects fail because of unexpected dependencies or unknown conditions?
Visibility is a clear and immediate benefit of a mature EA practice.
And remember, just because the road is going in the right direction – i.e., is aligned with your business – does not mean it’s at all safe.
Photo By Brian Stansberry (Own work) [CC-BY-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
Michael Mainelli and Ian Harris have written a wide-ranging survey of economics, choice theory (game theory, psychology and ethics), systems theory, chaos theory, global warming and evolution. So what’s all that got to do with the price of fish?
One of the themes running through the book is that the price of fish bears no relation to the value of fish, especially if we are concerned about long-term value and the sustainability of fish stocks.
Oscar Wilde famously defined a cynic as one who knows the price of everything and the value of nothing. This definition has also been applied to accountants and economists. Michael and Ian are leaders of the Long Finance initiative, a movement within the City of London that aims to overcome this kind of short-term financial cynicism.
Michael and Ian describe the price of fish as a wicked problem – a problem that lacks easy definition as well as easy answers. “Sustaining the supply of edible fish is a wicked problem that presents global risks.” (p 301) And yet they suggest that the system might possibly sort itself out. “As fish run out and have to be sustainably fished, the historic underpricing of fish ceases.” (293)
But this is no time for naive optimism, and the system will undoubtedly need some intervention. “When the price is the same as the value, there are opportunities for sustainable financing. So far, price has not equaled value for fish. This is the biggest, wicked decision-making problem of all: knowing how to set a price that equals the value.” (p 295)
In other words, the problem is not just the alarming dwindling of fish stocks but the collective cynicism that not only led to this problem but also amplifies it and resists dealing with it effectively. The key word in the problem statement is the word “set” – even if a few clever people can agree what the right price of fish should be, the real challenge is to set this price into global trading and consumption systems.
Michael Mainelli and Ian Harris have written a wide-ranging survey of economics, choice theory (game theory, psychology and ethics), systems theory, chaos theory, global warming and evolution. So what’s all that got to do with the price of fish?
One of the themes running through the book is that the price of fish bears no relation to the value of fish, especially if we are concerned about long-term value and the sustainability of fish stocks.
Oscar Wilde famously defined a cynic as one who knows the price of everything and the value of nothing. This definition has also been applied to accountants and economists. Michael and Ian are leaders of the Long Finance initiative, a movement within the City of London that aims to overcome this kind of short-term financial cynicism.
Michael and Ian describe the price of fish as a wicked problem – a problem that lacks easy definition as well as easy answers. “Sustaining the supply of edible fish is a wicked problem that presents global risks.” (p 301) And yet they suggest that the system might possibly sort itself out. “As fish run out and have to be sustainably fished, the historic underpricing of fish ceases.” (293)
But this is no time for naive optimism, and the system will undoubtedly need some intervention. “When the price is the same as the value, there are opportunities for sustainable financing. So far, price has not equaled value for fish. This is the biggest, wicked decision-making problem of all: knowing how to set a price that equals the value.” (p 295)
In other words, the problem is not just the alarming dwindling of fish stocks but the collective cynicism that not only led to this problem but also amplifies it and resists dealing with it effectively. The key word in the problem statement is the word “set” – even if a few clever people can agree what the right price of fish should be, the real challenge is to set this price into global trading and consumption systems.
“The IMF downgrades its growth forecasts and casts further doubt on Osborne meeting his debt target” reports @JJ_159 via @Spectator_CH. @EmmaLangman suggests (sadly) that that it is ‘our’ debt target by association. “What Chancellor chooses, the countr…
Migrating more data and applications to the cloud is top of CIO’s to-do list right now. 52% of the 489 business and technology executives who responded to our 2012 Digital IQ study plan to boost their spending in the private cloud this year. Those same firms are simultaneously setting their sights on the public cloud. 57% of the leadership surveyed claim they are ramping up their investments in public clouds. Understandably, security is weighing heavy […]
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What’s small, shiny and keeps CIOs up at night? The CEO’s personal devices. CEOs are like every other employee. They love tablets, smart phones and apps. The glaring difference is that the CEO’s personal devices put the company at much greater risk than the gadgets of virtually all other employees combined. CIOs must include chief executives in conversations as they grapple with putting BYOD security policies and procedures in place. Many CEOs criss-cross the globe […]
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By popular demand, many companies are shifting ownership of elements of corporate infrastructure onto their employees. This is known as BYOC (bring your own computer) or BYOD (bring your own device).
There are many aspects to this trend.
1. Culture. …
By popular demand, many companies are shifting ownership of elements of corporate infrastructure onto their employees. This is known as BYOC (bring your own computer) or BYOD (bring your own device).
There are many aspects to this trend.
1. Culture. …